Fire-resisting shutter.



PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

. S. HUTGHINSON.

FIRE RESISTING SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

OOOOQOQQOOQOOOOOQOOQO OOOOQQO PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

W. S. HUTGHINSON. FIRE RBSISTING SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1906.

2 sums-slum 2.

UNITED srA ras PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM SPENCER HUTOHIN SON OF BOSTON lliASSACI-IUSETTS.

FIRE-RESISTlNG SHUTTER.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SPENCER HUTCHINSON, a citizen "of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inFire-Resisting Shutters, of which the following is a specincation.

My invention-and improvements herein described relate to theconstruction and operation of fire-resisting shutters, doors, and thelike to be applied to the external wallopenings of buildings or theopenings and partitions Within the buildings. The necessity for cheapand efficient shutters of this general character, which shall be able toresist protracted exposure to great heat, 18 reco nized b the owners andoccupants of buildings and by fire-insurance underwriters, and so far aslam now informed, the best available practical device of this natureconsists of the wooden door or shutter, sheathed or faced with tinnedsheet-iron. Shutters of this character retain their shape and do notwarp. even under the application of great heat; but their capacity toresist rotracted exposure to heat is limited. Mo ern warehouses andother large buildings situated in .crowded city districts, where theyare subject to danger from Tue exposure, are now very extensivelyprovided with fire-protective water-circulating systems both forautomatic sprinklers and hose connections, and itis in cooperation withsuch circulating systems that my invention-achieves effective utility.

In the drawings hereto annexed, wherein a window-shutter is used as anillustrative cm bodiment of my invention and improvemer ts, Figure 1shows such a window-shutter in elevation. Fig. 2 is a section of theshutter in Fig. 1, taken along theline 2 2. Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe said shutter. Fi n 4 is a section of the same along the line 4 4,ig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a broken elevation, on an enlarged scale, of thesaid shutter, showin sundry details of construction.

lhe shutter A, Fig. 1, is hinged or otherwise movably secured to thewall B of the building, so as to be capable of closin over a window orother aperture in said wal In the present instance selected forillustration the shutter is hinged at O to the wall in the usual manner.Projecting from the wall B is a water-nozzle D to direct water into theinterior of the shutter when the same is Specification of LettersPatent. Application filed September 23,1905. Serial No.'279,762.

, such as a are drilled.

Patented Feb. 5,1907.

closed. This nozzle D may be connected with any suitable source ofwater-supply and of such opening, be -a fiat sheet, as A, Figs. 2,

3, and 4. Along the lines where the two plates A A are tangent thetwoare secured together by rivets, as at a.

The edges of the shutter are reinforced by side and bottom strips A A".At the top of the shutter which is opcnthere is secured a funnel-plateF, of sheet metal, which is preferably stamped to proper shape, so as torivet closely against one of the sheets where-. of the body of thescreen is composed. This funnel extends transversely from one side ofthe shutter to the other and forms a transverse receptacle orwater-space in commu nication with allof the vertical Water-spaces,whereby each'vertical water-space will be filled, no matter at Whatpoint Water is in troduced at the top. The hinge-bars C are shown asbent to ht the corrugations of the sheet A. and are riveted through bothsheets, as shown in Fig. 4. The corrugations of the sheet A form spacesor waterch ambers, which extend vertically from top to bottom of theshutter, and at or near the bottom of these s )accs drain-holes of smalldiameter,

The operation of my improved shutter is as follows: 111 case of exposureto fire the shutter isclosed and secured and water is turned on throughthe nozzle D, which directs the stream into the flaring mouth of thefunnel-plate E. The spaces between the two sheets A A are thus quicklyfilled with water, the small diameter of the drain-holes a being suchthat the screen-s aces will'reinain full so long as the nozzle deliverswater into the funnel-plate E. A very moderate circulation of water isall that is necessary to keep the shutter perfectly cool, and the escapeof drainage-water fronr the holes a will still further assist in keepingcool the exterior of the wall B by running (loui over its surface. Thedanger of warping, Iii-h is so serious a consideration, is cm ll't'l):iwided by the water circulation through the shutter, which issuiiicient to dissipate the fiercest heat directed against the shutteritself. So long as the stream flows from the nozzle D the shutter willremain effective, and its utility, therefore, is not limited induration, as is the case with the sheathed wooden shutters, which haveheretofore proved to be the best practical and available means of fireprotection of this general character. Moreover, the shutter constructedaccording to my invention may be made of eXtren'Lely light sheetmaterial and he therefore cheap to construct and easy to operate. Athickness from outside to outside of the shutter oi five-eighths of aninch will'he found amply suflicient to afford the requisite stitl'nessin all but the largest v shutters of this character.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A.tire-resisting shutter, containing in seaesa combination two metalsheets, whereof one is corrugated, and secured in contact with the otheralong tangent lines to form parallel vertical water-spaces, and atransverse water-receptacle communicating with each of the verticalspaces. M

2. A fire-resisting shutter, containing in combination two metal sheetswhereof one is vertically corrugated and secured in contact with theother along tangent lines to form parallel vertical waterspaccs, and afunnel-shaped receptacle at thevtop of the shutter, extendingtrarsversely across the same in communication with each of the verticalspaces.

Signed by I113 at Boston, Massachusetts, this 19th day of September,1905.

WILLIAM SPENCER HUTCHINSON. Witnesses:

OniN RoBEnTs, Josnrn T. BRENNAN.

